Howard Wagner

Since you spend most of your time working, do what you love

Jeannine: Who is Howard Wagner? Howard: See the Emily Dickinson poem – “I’m nobody who are you?”Jeannine:So seriously, what is your music background?Howard: My music study started out in a very conventional manner studying piano with a local journeyman piano teacher who came to the house once a week. Most “kids” at that time, I was six, did the same. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, so the cultural advantages of Manhattan were just a short distance away. The turning point for me was when I had the privilege of attending private school starting in the fifth grade. At Poly Prep Country Day School, there were Chapel Services every Monday and Wednesday. They were legal then. There was a small Music Department headed by Dr. Carl Lambert. Doc Lambert was an organist and pianist and choral conductor. While at Columbia University for his PhD, Lambert studied organ with Carl Weinrich.

During those Monday and Wednesday chapel services, there was an organ prelude upon entering Chapel, and a postlude upon leaving. Dr. Lambert, over the course of a school year, would play the complete works of Bach and Franck as well as assorted other literature. Sixty plus works and never the same one twice during a given school year. I was enthralled by this.

Jeannine: Hearing organ music such as that would certainly have caught my attention as well! What an astounding experience. Is that when you decided to become an organist?Howard:Yes. My piano studies were switched from the local piano teacher to Doc Lambert. By the time I reached eighth grade, a new three manual pipe organ, replaced the aging Estey pipe organ at Poly. This was controversial, as many of the parents expressed outrage that all of this money was going for an organ rather than a science lab. Nonetheless, it was a done deal, and none other than Carl Weinrich played the dedication recital. At that point, I told Doc Lambert that I wanted to move upstairs. His office was on the floor above the Chapel, so that was his expression when referring to studying the organ.After three years of study with Doc Lambert, he gave me a brochure which advertised a Master Class offered in Brooklyn by Virgil Fox. Doc told me that Fox was unconventional - certainly compared to Weinrich - but an important figure in the music world, and I should not miss the opportunity to attend the class. And so, I did. Jeannine:What was it like to meet the flamboyantand venerable Virgil Fox?

Howard:It was on to the University of Michigan, organ and piano study and the requisite music classes. However, it was at U of M that I was exposed to the harpsichord. The historical harpsichord revival was in its infancy - lots of kits - and few builders. There was a fellow named Randy who established the “Bach Club” and it often featured harpsichord performers which included Penny Crawford, who used to perform on her Burton kit harpsichord, and Bruce Gustofson, a doctoral student then, who performed on his own William Dowd harpsichord. So, it was early early on that I noted the vast difference between a kit and professionally built harpsichord. Jeannine: Is this what drew you into the early music world?Howard: Yes, at this point, I was hooked on authentic performance of early music. Anthony Newman, although not from U of M was a rising star and I became a big fan particularly of his pedal harpsichord recordings. BTW Virgil Fox sat on one of Newman’s juries for one of his degrees describing him as a madman and a genius. Similar personalities attract! So that was the beginning of involvement in the Early Music World. I went on to get an MBA, and had a teaching fellowship, and with money I had earned and saved was able to purchase my first harpsichord from Eric Herz.Jeannine: Degree earned at the University of Michigan. What was next?

Howard: Ah…a left turn with advantages shall we say. After receiving my MBA degree, I returned to the East Coast and went to work for General Foods Corporation, White Plains, NY. This was during a major recession and inflationary times, and very few companies were hiring. So, food was the place to go. The people were all very nice, very bright, and the company was a Fortune 500 corporation. But, I knew this was not for me long term. After five years, I was recruited to take a position at Standard Brands Corp. in Manhattan. This was a very different environment. While the General Foods employees were well educated and could discuss cultural things, the Standard Brands employees, including the executives were mostly uneducated and had worked their way up through the ranks. They amused themselves by drinking and cursing. They were also very political, as they could not rely on their skills to get themselves ahead. Again, really not for me. The advantage of being in midtown Manhattan was that one was surrounded by all sorts of culture. I often would stay in the city after work to attend a concert or museum lecture. Jeannine:How did those advantages mold your future? Howard:On my lunch hour I sometimes walked over to the Rodgers Organ Studio at Carnegie Recital Hall and would converse with Rick Tripodi and Jim Ramsey. I learned at that time, that Doug Marshall who was a student of Virgil Fox at the same time as I, was selling Rodgers Organs in New England. The wheels began to turn. I am an organist, Virgil Fox was now touring on a Rodgers organ, I have a business degree and music, I have real business experience, hmmmmm. I paid Doug Marshall a visit, and after about a year, Doug and I became the Rodgers organ dealer in New England. Our regional representative was Dave Jordan. After about eight years, my desire to be involved with real -- rather than imitation instruments took over, and Doug and I had a mutually agreeable parting of the ways, and I left the Rodgers Dealership. Doug was a true gentleman about it - always was and always will be a fine individual.​

Howard:At that time, I approached Glenn Giuttari who had founded the Harpsichord Clearing House in 1969. His concept then was that eventually there needed to be a place for all the new harpsichords being built to be repaired and advertised for sale. It was a good match as I have been working with Glenn for 28 years. Jeannine:Tell us about the Harpsichord Clearing House.Howard: The Harpsichord Clearing House is the International center for brokerage, consignment, and repair, as well as the leading resource for purchase of early keyboard instruments. This would include harpsichords, clavichords, fortepianos, as well as continuo, positiv, and small chapel or residence organs. Jeannine: Doesn’t the Harpsichord Clearing House also deal in organs and antique instruments?Howard: Yes, HCH is also the leading provider of positiv continuo organs having delivered over one hundred of these three to four stop “box organs”. Antique early keyboards also make their appearance from time to time, most notable, a Jacob Kirckman spinet from 1750, and a Charles Brackley Spinet from 1706. The Kirckman was a consignment for sale, and the Brackley is a restoration. Last Fall we delivered an eleven-rank residence organ with two manuals and pedal to a home in the Chicago area,Jeannine: I assume your work with HCH is something you love. What is your role at HCH?Howard: As far as my role in the business, I do sales, decorative design, customer service, proposals and recommendations, appraisals, financial management, demonstrations, sound samples for the website, and anything else that needs to be done as this is a small company. My 28 years have been during good times for the Harpsichord Clearing House, as the business has grown both within North America, as well as internationally. It is an honor to work with musicians including some famous ones, schools, orchestras, museums and houses of worship from all over the world. Recently we have delivered instruments to China, South Korea, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and the Republic of Georgia to name a few. Jeannine:How is the early music world changing/growing?Howard: It is gratifying that many smaller colleges and junior colleges have been in search of early keyboard instruments. Early music departments and performing groups have been “springing up” all over the USA, and the Far East, often where it is least expected. The excitement of hearing the music from the sixteenth through early nineteenth century on authentic instruments has become a passionate pursuit for many in both the performance and administrative areas of music. HCH loves being a part of this growth and building these new relationships. Go to www.harpsichord.com to learn more, or the Harpsichord Clearing House Facebook page.Jeannine:I know you have several other passions besides early music. Please tell us more.Howard: Collecting Cars - particularly hot rods from the 50’s and 60’s era. Jeannine knows well as she drove one of them. (A thrilling few miles, indeed!) American and English period antique furniture, early interior design and architecture 17th 18th and early 19th century. Puns and silly jokes.Jeannine: Thank you, Howard, for allowing me and our readers a glimpse into your amazing and wonder-filled world.